I often use shadows and darker contrast to create moodiness. But when I scheduled to photograph Georgette we arranged for a glamour session that had a more natural light look. I had two different outfits in mind. The first was a gold sequined dress paired with a backdrop with brown tones. The second included a black dress that would be paired up with a lighter colored backdrop with white and grayish-blue tones.
Georgette has beautiful brown eyes that have a look of innocence and vulnerability and I wanted to capture that in her portrait. I made sure to pose Georgette directly facing the camera so that she was looking straight into the camera. I asked Georgette to give me a little bit of a smile for some of her images. That hint of a smile is all it took to make that connection and create a face that looked like a classic portrait.
Georgette also wanted to do something with moody, so I changed the lighting set up and created some deeper shadows for that moody look that Georgette wanted. The backdrop is the same, but looks different than in the previous series due to the changes in lighting. Georgette brought the attitude and gave a completely different look from the first look we had just finished.
Georgette changed her dress and I replaced the lighter color backdrop with one that had darker tones for a different look. With different poses in mind, and a change in lighting setup, we were off and running. Again, the focus is on getting great connection. There's a twinkle in Georgette's eyes, and like before, just a hint of a smile.
These examples are a modern version of a classic portrait. For some people, their session is their first time being photographed their first formal portrait.
There's a certain level of calm that takes over the set when photographing these types of portraits. I usually have a television or music playing in the background, but it's never very loud. Each pose is followed by small adjustments, expression changes, and subtle body movements. These little things make the final results that much more special.
Being photographed doesn't require knowing how to pose. Usually the conversation during the session reveals the natural body language of the person being photographed. Sometimes it takes a bit longer to get there, but it's always worth it when it happens.
If you have postponed updating your photos, or need to change your wall display, I'd be happy to talk to you about scheduling a portrait session. Contact me for more information.
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